Portable eoldibta bed



R. H. McCUNE.

PORTABLE FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, I918 Patented May 13, 1919.

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4 TTOR/VEYS R. H. McCUNE.

PORTABLE FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.11. ma

1 ,303,4;87, Patented May 13, 1919...

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A WORNEVS R. H. McCUNE.

PORTABLE FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.\I,19l8.

1,303,487. Patented May13,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR A TTORNE rs till ROBERT H. MOCUNE,'OF BOSWELL, NEW MEXIGO.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Application filed November 11, 1918. Serial No. 262,007.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. MGCUNE, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Roswell, in the county of Chaves and State of New Mexico, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Portable Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in foldlng beds audit consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed. 7

An object of 'my invention is to provide a folding bed that is made in such a way that it. can rapidly be taken apart; that can be rolled into a comparatively small compass; that is made of light and yet strong materials, and includes a tent cover as an accessory sothat the bed may be used more particularly in camping.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a portablefolding bed of the nature described, that can be readily carried about in a conveyance, as for example an automobile, wherein it will take but little room.

A further object of the invention resides more particularly in the novel manner of holding the side rails rigid when opened, by the tension of the springs.

Uther objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one application of the folding bed, the mattress and tent cover being thrown back to reveal parts of the bed structure,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tent observed from the rear, showing one of the flaps thrown back to more clearly illustrate the means for tying them together,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the folding bed,

Fig. l is a side elevation,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 55 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view clearly illustrating how the tension created in the springs in. the setting up of the bed is subsequently employed to hold the end rails in firm engagement with the side rails,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the corner of the bed at the right of the observer in Fig. 6, the parts being separated to more clearly illustrate their correlation,

Fig- 8 is a detail section through the j int between one side and end rail, showing how the tension of the springs holds the two together,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the use of leather caps to cover the sharp ends of the rails,

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a slight modification in the attachment of the legs, and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the folding bed in use in an automobile.

As has already been stated in a general way in the objects of the invention, one of the foremost uses of the bed is to "provide a comfortable sleeping place for campers. As a general rule, in order to lighten the burden of his equipment, a camper will carry the smallest amount of bed clothing that he thinks will suit his purpose, and will usually content himself by either improvising a bed or lying directly on the ground.

ithout going into detail with respect to the inconveniences of camping, or rather of attempting to sleep under such circumstances as indicated above, it may be stated that these inconveniences have been attempted to be overcome by various types of folding cots. Of these there are some types that are attached to an automobile, so that when the automobile is driven to the camping place, the bed is opened and thus in a sense becomes afixture.

The herein described bed is portable in every sense of the word. Should it be taken in an automobile on a camping trip, the movability of the automobile does not depend on the bed and vice versa. The bed is simply set up and inclosed by the canopy or tent cover, providing in combination a comforta'ble bed and a tent as well. Now dealing more particularly with the construction, attention is first directed to Fig. 6 wherein the underlying principle that makes for the success of the bed, is illustrated.

The side rails 1 and 2 are divided substantially in-the middle as illustrated, and pivoted together at 3. The side rails, as well as the other parts of the bed, are made of any suitable material whatever, it being preferable to make the side and'end rails of angle iron so as to obtain the double advantage of maximum mechanical strength with minimum weight. The upper part of both side rails at each extremity has a lug 4;. All of these lugs enter corresponding slots 5 in the end rails 6. The four rails of the bed are thus joined. or interlock d,

In fitting the parts of the bed together, one end rail 6 is laid on the ground. The side rails 1 and 2 are then bent up as shown in Fig. 6, the lugs 4 of the parts of the side rails that are laid next to the ground, being fitted into the corresponding slots 5 in the end rail just referred to. The other end rail 6 is then applied to the two upstanding side rail portions by fitting the remaining lugs 4 into the two slots 5.

The springs of the bed are permanently attached to the two end rails 6. These springs, spoken of in a collective sense, consist of the end coil springs 7 that join a link mattress 8 with the end rails. This link mattress may be of any construction suitable for the purpose. In the present instance it conslsts of a number of ordinary chains that are ]o1ned transversely by a number of links 9 that keep the chains from spreading.

Returning now to the operation of setting up the bed. The operator holds the two side rails down in any convenient manner as by putting his feet on them and straddling the link mattress. The remaining end rail is now supposed to be fitted on the upstanding side rail portions, as above mentioned, and the operator now presses down on this end rail until the side rails are straight and in the correct position.

This act puts the coil springs 7 under tension. The pivots 3 are below the major axis of the link mattress and it will thus be easily understood, especially by referring to Figs. 4 and 5, that the greater the tenslon in the springs is, the more tightly will the two parts of each side rail be pressed together above the pivots. It is also to be observed that the action of the springs is in accordance with the result that would take place if a person were to sit anywhere along one side rail and especially at the joint. The overlapping arrangement of one side rail on the other obtains a more rigid connection accordingly as pressure is put thereon in either of the circumstances named.

A stop pin 10 with an enlarged head 11, on the inside hinged member of each side rail, fits into one or the other of two notches 12 in the companion member of each side. rail and on the respective sides of the pivot 3. These stop pins are for the purpose of lockin the members of the side rails together,

eit er when open as in Fig. 4 or when folded together for transportation.

Headed studs 13 at the extremities of the side rails, and similar headed studs 14 at the extremities of the end rails, occupy the notches 15 of the legs 16, when the legs are fitted over the headed studs as shown in Fig. 5. By this means the legs are firmly fixed at the four corners of the bed when it is set up. Braces 17 permanently join the legs to the end rails 6. I

The legs are attached to these end rails in under normal conditions.

pairs. The braces 17 permit the legs to be swung into the folded up positions inside of the an led head rails when they are detached from tie headed studs 13. A convenient disposal of the 1c is thus made when it is desired to pack t e bed for transportation.

The use of the folding bed is not confined to the particular application pictured in Fig. 1 wherein the bed is set on the ground. The bed may be opened for use in an automobile. For this purpose one pair of the legs 16 has leg extensions 18. These are normally housed inside of the legs to which they are attached, by means of a thumb screw 19. The shank of the thumb screw passes through a slot 20 in the companion leg, and when the thumb I screw is unloosened, the leg extension can be pulled out in each case.

The end of the bed with the leg extensions is then set on the fioor of the automobile, while the other end of the bed whereat the legs are not extended, is rested on top of the back seat. The le extensions 18 are long enough to support t e bed over the top of the front seat.

Fig. 7 clearly shows how the arts of the bed are fitted together. It shows ow the lug 4: at one end of a side rail is presented to a slot 5 of a head rail. The adjacent previously folded leg 16 is lifted up and set upon the headed studs 13, thus locking the leg and rails together.

t is not necessary to employ the locking feature just described, 71. 6., the arrangement of the headed studs 13 and notches 15 of the legs, since the tension of the springs 7 is sufiicient to hold the head pieces on the side rails It is of course preferable to firmly lock the parts together, and the locking arrangement is considered an ingenious method of affixing the legs and at the same time tying the corners together. However, in view of the foregoing, the headed studs 13 might be left off altogether-and the legs applied in some other way.

This suggests the modification shown in Fig. 10. Here it will be observed that the legs 16 are attached to the side rails instead of the head rails. Use is still made of the headed studs especially in the event that the legs are still fitted in the corners as indicated in full lines. However, the legs may be shifted the other way and afiixed to suitable studs 39 as shown in the dotted lines. In this modification, the tension of the springs 7 is depended on solely to keep the head and side rails together.

A canopy 21 is intended to be used with the bed to shelter a; sleeper from the elements when camping. The canopy or tent cover is thrown over a central support 22. This support is hinged at a number of places so that it canbe folded up and at the same time provide the end standards which are fitted in any suitable manner in openings 23 in the end rails. A thumb screw 24 at each end serves to secure the standards.

Flaps 25 are provided as shown in Fig. 2. This shows the rear of the tent, but the front end is just like it. The fla s are overlapped and tied together by cor s '26. Obviously other fastening means can be used in place of these cords. The tent cover is arranged so that the flaps can be fastened from the outside, leaving room enough for the raising of the cover so that the person may enter.

Stakes may be used to hold the tent cover down. For this. purpose loops 27 are provided. However, for quickness and ease in setting up and taking down the bed-tent, loops 29 are provided on the inside, to be caught over hooks 30 at corresponding places along the side rails. The use of this latter arrangement makes it easier to get into and out of the tent-bed after the ends are closed. It also serves to secure the tent cover from the inside against intrusion.

A mattress 31 is carried with the outfit to be laid on the springs as shown. All of the parts of the bed-tent can be rolled inside of the mattress and tent cover when taken down. In order to protect the material of the mattress and tent cover, as well as the hands and clothing of those handling the bundle, the ends of the bed rail sections can be covered by cups 32 as shown in one instance in Fig. 9. These cups can be made of leather or other suitable material and are attached by a, flexible connection 33.

It will be observed in Fig. 11, that one of the foremost uses of the folding bed is in connection with an automobile. It has been pointed out that the bed is especially adapted for this particular use. For this one purpose, onepair of the legs are made extensible. The leg extensions 18 shown in Figs. 5 and 7, can be unloosened and pulled out, so that oneend of the bed can be supported on the back of the rear seat, while the end having the extended legs is supported on the floor of the car.

Those accustomed to making camping trips, and especially those possessing automobiles, will at once appreclate the convenience of having a folding bed that can be used in this manner. The bed can be easil set up and easily taken down.

While the construction and arrangement of the folding bed is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. The combination in a folding bed, of side rails with end lugs, end rails with slots to receive the lugs, a mattress with springs attached to the end rails, to hold the lugs 1n the slots, adjacent projections in the corners of the end and side rails, and ivotally mounted folding legs capable of bemg fitted over the projections to form a lock.

2. A bed, comprising a side rail member having a projection on one end, an end rail having a slot arranged to receive the projection, a link mattress including a coil spring attached to the end rail and arranged to be put under tension to hold the end rail in contact with the end of the side rail member at said projection and slot connection, an erectible leg attached to the end rail and arranged to be erected to provide one of the supports for the bed, and lockin means associated mutually with the leg an rails, said means including headed studs on the side rail member and the end rail and notches in the ligto be fitted on the studs.

3. bed, comprising a pair of end rails with slots in the extremities, a link mattrem consisting of a plurality of chains having coil springs joining them at the respective ends to the end rails, transverse links joining the chains and keeping them from spreading, side rails consisting of members pivoted substantially in the middle and leavmg parts to overlap when fully extended, projections carried by said members arranged to be fitted in the slots of the end rails previously to extending the side rails,-

said springs being put under tension during the act of extending the side rails thus serving to hold the bed frame together, erecti'ble legs including braces permanently joining the legs to the bed frame, studs aflixed to the bed frame to receive portions of the legs to fix the legs in place, and extensible leg members earned by one pair of legs.

ROBERT H. MoCUN E. 

